Why the secret to happiness is only having 37 things to wear
THE pile of clothes on her bed was, she admits, a ‘horrendous sight’. From ill-fitting dresses to endless black, shapeless tops, it was, in short, a mountain of stretch fabric and mumsy wear.
However, this gargantuan heap was the beginning of a fashion revolution for Rebecca Catterall. Tired of having a bulging wardrobe full of clothes that neither flattered her nor earned their keep in the space they took up, the 42-year-old business coach had decided to join the increasing band of women who have reduced the total number of items of clothing they own to a mere 37.
Why 37? It’s a figure that’s become something of a ‘magic number’, thanks to a phenomenon started by fashion blogger Caroline Rector. Conscious of her almost pathological shopping habit, Rector decided to create the ultimate ‘capsule wardrobe’, composed of as few items as she could bear.
After some careful planning, she decided she could get by with just 37 pieces — from dresses to jackets, jeans to shorts (as pictured right, though the choice of items is up to you).
The impact on her life was profound. From someone who had self-medicated with shopping binges, she became calmer and happier. When she had to shop, she did so with greater thought. And when one item came into the collection of 37, one went out — be it to charity shops, eBay or friends.
And so, her style transformed from a mishmash of random items to a carefully co-ordinated collection of must-haves. More than that, Rector is adamant she found personal contentment when she stopped focusing on accumulating clothing.
With such transformative results, it’s little wonder that Rebecca Catterall hoped for as much when she, too, purged her wardrobe down to 37 items. ‘Before, I would walk past shop windows and flinch at the frumpy reflection I saw,’ says Rebecca, who lives in Colne, Lancs, with her two children.
Then in 2014, she read about Rector’s experiment. ‘It fired me up, and I decided I was going to change my clothes and my look.’
Initially, however, it seemed impossible. ‘I took everything out of my wardrobe and piled it onto my bed. There were masses of black and shapeless items from supermarkets.’
She gritted her teeth, and pared the clashing, badly fitting clothes down to just 70 items, giving her local charity shops an unexpected bounty. A few months on, she edited down again, finally getting down to the magic 37.
‘I then didn’t let myself buy anything for a whole year — I had enough clothes,’ she says.
Not only was such stricture liberating, she insists, but it increased her enjoyment of fashion. Rather than feeling downhearted when confronted with her wardrobe, she now enjoys everything she owns.
‘The fewer clothes you have, the more effort you make. I wear vintage brooches and scarves to smarten an outfit up, as well as paying more attention to my hair and make-up.’
DETAILS are key for the women who make 37 their ultimate fashion number. For as Caroline Rector spells out in her online guide to the 37-piece capsule wardrobe, you don’t include jewellery or handbags in your final tally, though it does include shoes — rules which mean that you can glam up a simple LBD with a wide variety of statement necklaces or a bright new belt.
Her perfect 37? It comprises 15 tops, nine bottoms (these can include skirts, trousers and shorts), two dresses, one jacket, a coat and nine pairs of shoes.
The adventurous could trade a top and bottom for a jumpsuit or two as long as the total remains at the magic 37.
The key, say converts, is making every item count by ensuring colours work together, so that rather than restricting your choice, you have more to choose from because everything matches.
Rebecca says: ‘It’s been so successful that some friends have asked me to help pack capsule wardrobes for their holidays. I help them pick a colour theme and select beach outfits, evening outfits, and make sure everything goes with everything else. They’re the rules I use every day.’
The impact on her emotional well-being has been significant, she adds.
‘I have a lot more fun with the clothes I have. And I feel so much more in control, because I don’t have those moments of dithering in front of my wardrobe.’
As for shopping, it’s become a completely different experience for Rebecca. ‘Previously, no real thought went into my purchases. Now, I buy less, but invest in higher quality.’
Chartered clinical psychologist Dr Genevieve von Lob is not surprised women like Rebecca have gained such profound emotional benefits from limiting their clothing in such a manner. Why?
‘They show discipline and a willingness to leave the past behind,’ she says. ‘By streamlining their wardrobes, they gain a sense of achievement and self-esteem that comes from making a conscious decision to embrace change.’
Aside from the deeper psychological benefits, devoted fans of the 37-piece wardrobe say it’s a foolproof way of ensuring you always know what to wear, and will look great on any occasion. When it comes to fashion, they argue, less is definitely more.
‘The reality is, we all have far too much in our wardrobes, and we don’t wear most of it,’ says the Mail’s Consultant Fashion Editor, Camilla Ridley-Day. ‘This is an achievable figure to aim for, if you plan it well. As we get older, well-cut, classic items look best.’
It’s an ethos Louise Parker has adopted. ‘I’d never go back to an overflowing wardrobe,’ says the 27-year-old executive from
Brighton. ‘I had so many clothes that in my last job a colleague commented they’d never seen me in the same outfit twice — something I took as a compliment, but can now see was excessive.’
Clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Orban says protracted wardrobe dilemmas can be mentally damaging. ‘An expansive wardrobe can mean “decision fatigue”,’ she says. ‘We are bombarded with choices in our day-to-day lives, so it can feel good to simplify.’
Something Louise was to discover for herself when she moved into a smaller flat and decided to downsize her wardrobe. ‘It has changed my life. I could go to the beach or a wedding and feel confident,’ she says.
But what about the well-dressed woman’s greatest fear: that people might notice you wearing the same thing again and again?
Louise insists the reverse is true: ‘A friend who came round was surprised to see I had such a small wardrobe. She hadn’t realised I had so few items,’ she says.
‘I put that down to investing in classic pieces in neutral colours.
‘The 37-piece rule sets me up so well for my day. Each item has won its place in my wardrobe and I feel really good in everything.’